What started off as an entry on the commitment on Thomas Lucas is quickly turning into an ever-expanding commitment roundup with Folorunso Fatukasi and Lance Burlingame also committing to UConn according to internet reports.

Let's start with Lucas.

When he visited the UConn campus a couple weeks back, he left without a scholarship offer.

When the offer came from the UConn coaches the defensive back out of Paint Branch High in Burtonsville., Md. wasted little time in accepting and becoming the latest player to commit to the Huskies.

"They offered me today and I decided it was the right place for me to be," Lucas said Monday night.

"I love the school because it has a school for business and that is what I'll be majoring in.  I love the coaches, Coach Matt (Cersosimo), Coach P (Paul Pasqualoni) ...."

The 6-1, 181-pound Lucas has a 35-inch vertical leap and 4.5 speed in the 40. Although he plays safety in high school and had 57 tackles, two interceptions and three forced fumbles as a junior, the UConn coaches told Lucas he will play at either cornerback or receiver.
Lucas, a grounded enough soon to be high school senior that he requested that I credit his mom, dad, uncle and other family members for getting him to this point, is eager to build on an impressive junior season when he helped Paint Branch win its conference title, go 9-2 and reach the state playoffs.

"I want to win state title. we won our conference, made the playoffs and lost by three points," Lucas said. "This year we are going (for the championship)."

Various recruiting databases are also reporting that New York defensive lineman Folorunso Fatukasi has committed to UConn. The 6-foot-4, 280-pound Fatukasi plays at Beach Channel High and attended UConn's football camp last month. I have a call into Fatukasi.

Finally, Dean College defensive tackle Lance Burlingame tweeted that "it's official, I'm committed to UConn one more season at Dean and I am on my way."

Burlingame had 11 tackles for losses and four sacks as a freshman at Dean.

I just got off the phone with the 6-4, 285-pound Burlingame who will have two seasons of eligibility when he suits up at UConn in 2013.

"I have been talking to UConn since the spring time," Burlingame said. "It is not too far from home so I will be near my family and it was a good fit all the way around, academically, travel wise and football.

"They (UConn) have some great players and every year they seem to improve and I want to be part of that."

Burlingame will play this fall at Dean. I remember going to a Dean game when they played Yale's JV team recently but I checked the schedule on the Dean site and there are no games scheduled for the state of Connecticut.

Burlingame credits his time at Dean for paving the way for him to land at UConn.

"Dean is a great place for me'" Burlingame said. "If it wasn't for Dean I wouldn't have the opportunity I have, the opportunity to come to UConn. The talent level, you have great players here and going up against them only makes me better."